The young reliever, out since July 2006 because of two surgeries on his right shoulder, was so energized after his chat with Martinez that he intends to pitch tomorrow or Sunday.

Sanchez hasn’t thrown in a game since last Friday because of stiffness in the back of his shoulder resulting from that appearance, and his spirits from dealing with the pain were sagging until Pedro invited him to lunch in Port St. Lucie.

Now one of the key pieces of the Mets’ bullpen – Sanchez was among the top set-up men in all of baseball at the time of his injury – is ready to go.

“It always helps you when a veteran guy grabs you, talks to you and helps you with things you’re not used to,” Sanchez said. “Pedro’s been through a lot of stuff in his career.”

Sanchez also said too much is being made out of the slow pace of his schedule this spring.

“This is a not setback,” he said. “I just have to do things differently than the other guys. I haven’t used these muscles in a year-and-a-half. It’s nothing to be worried about.”

*

First baseman Carlos Delgado, sidelined since last Friday because of hip problems, took swings in the indoor batting cage and later in the stadium at Tradition Field yesterday. Delgado appears to be responding well to a cortisone injection and anti-inflammatory medicine, and Willie Randolph said he hopes to have the slugger back in the lineup this weekend.

The same weekend schedule applies to catcher Brian Schneider (out the past week with a sore right hamstring) and pitcher Orlando Hernandez, who has yet to make his first start this spring because of discomfort in his right foot.

“I’m not going to push them, though,” Randolph said.

*

Veteran backup Damion Easley, newly active after being sidelined since last summer by a high ankle sprain, can only shake his head at the Mets’ recent torrent of injuries.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a camp with so many injuries,” said the 38-year-old, who has played with six teams. “I guess if you play long enough, you’ll see things you’ve never seen before. This is one of those times.”

*

Randolph endorsed non-roster veteran Brady Clark’s idea this week to grab a first-baseman’s glove and ask for a tryout at that unfamiliar spot in hopes of making the team. “That’s smart,” Randolph said.